Halberd
by Mazzyandmilk
Summary: Ario Perez couldn't take it anymore. The Monquistan in him wanted him to be vigilant, but he couldn't. He thought running to the Navy was a good idea, but he didn't know anything. He knew about the water, but did he know about the gloom? Did he know about the blood, the death, and the destruction?
1. Monkey Yaffing

**Halberd**

Uhh… Dear diary?

I can barely see… it's really dark in here… Mum took my candle away.

At least the moonlight is helping me.

Here I am… at the windowsill. It's still quite warm here at night…

It's quite refreshing here. It's good to get away from my horrible Mum. She sent me to bed at three PM today. Apparently I was being rude… how? All I said was "Can I have the milk, please?"

And she shouted at me and sent me to bed… My brother Rodrigo never gets sent into his room early… All he does is sit on the floor and look out of the window and watch the Monquistan Army trot by. Sometimes he gets his fat rear out of the house and he talks to some of those Monquistan army monkeys. They look quite dashing. I think it'd be interesting to be one of them. Not that I'm thinking of enlisting, of course.

Oh, I don't think I've written about where I live… I live on a big island just a bit away from the rest of Tierra Primata Skyway. It's called El Perro. It's where the the Monquistan Army are mobilised. We unfortunately live right next to the base, which makes it very loud. Currently I'm not hearing anything, which is nice. Normally there IS a shout or the sound of something breaking. Of course, I've never broken anything. Never. Totally didn't smash Mum's clay pot by accident yesterday.

Okay, maybe I did. I was in bed by 1 PM. Wait, hang on, I remember it now. Rodrigo knocked it over and smashed it and I, expecting devastation, started to clean it up. Mum blamed me and Rodrigo was out of the room. It seems I'm always in trouble nowadays. Ugh… I'm going to sleep now.

* * *

I'm up now. I guess I have to get ready for school. I walked over to my draw, pulling it open. I get my shirt, and I hear—

"**ARIO PEREZ! ARE YOU UP YET!?"**

No, Mum. I'm clearly not up. I'm still in bed, trying to swat away the mosquitos from my face. I grab my white striped shirt, and slip on my tan vest. I button it up with extreme finesse, and another shout enters my room. I put my black trousers and my jet black shoes. I roll down the stairs before Mum goes ballistic.

"Finally, Ario. Have you learnt your lesson?" Mum begins. "I hope you have. You were doing so well, without your milk thieving and whatnot."

My ruby eyes shift over to Rodrigo, who is trying to stifle his laughter. Mum is looking at me with an expression as if she is expecting an answer. I begin, "That was my milk. I bought it at the Monquistamarket. Why do you think—"

"**DON'T ANSWER ME BACK!"** screams Mum. You can see her shining spit escaping her mouth. "Now, be a good boy and eat your cereal. I actually put some sugar in this time."

I pull the chair out and hop onto it. Rodrigo does the same, his emerald green eyes slowly kicking tears of laughter out. He finds things that aren't funny funny. Probably because he sits on his butt all day eating Batacuda fillets. Actually, what did he say he liked again? Horse radish on toast? I think so.

"So, Rodrigo, how are you?" I begin. "I mean, you've probably eaten twenty of those bowls of cereal."

Rodrigo isn't listening. He's busy eating his cereal. Mum is however, and she shouts at me with extreme profanity, banishing me to my room once again.

When I go upstairs, jumping into my red velvet bed, I can hear her muffled rage being taken out on the air all around her. I sink my face into my fluffy white pillow. Guess I'm not going to school today. Well, it depends. If Mum calms down and sends me to school then I'm going to school. If she doesn't, then that's the fourth day in a row I've been ill.

* * *

Mum calmed down, and here I am at school currently. Rodrigo's in a different class to me, so I haven't seen him today.

This is quite a small school. The Monquistans like there to be several schools in their lovely world, because they want the younglings to be 'well educated.' Well, I'll believe it when I see it. There are only about a hundred monkeys to this school, and about five teachers. We can run rings around them.

The only one I like is Mr. Motado. He's a Cow, you see. He's from MooShu. He's really cool, and he teaches us about war and history. One day he brought in his katana. He even cut a tree down with it! The head wasn't happy about that.

I'm in this Maths class with my friend Koja and the teacher. Don't ask what his name is, I don't know. Koja is from Monquista City, so he's quite far off.

Mr. Whatever is babbling on about dividing decimals into quadratic equations or whatever. Koja hands me a note.

I grab the note with anticipation. I unfold it and it reads "Football later?" I turn my head to him and nod with glee. Koja smiles and I can see his fangs. Koja is a darker monkey, and he specifically likes to wear black sunglasses. The teachers tried to stop him from wearing them, but he never ceased to get more pairs. I'm assuming they have about fifty pairs of them in the storage room. Koja and I should raid it one day. Heh heh.

Suddenly, Mr. Whatever calls on me. "What is 2 + 3n – 60 + 32f (2 x 6) to the power of coconut?" I shake my head in confusion.

"Uhh... carrot?" I murmur inaudibly. I squint my eyes and get ready to be ridiculed.

"Yes. Good job, Ario."

I got it right. How? I just randomly said the first thing I thought of! How is carrot even a proper answer! What does to the power of coconut mean? Why am I even here? Ugh!

I really need to find out what his name is. Calling him Mr. Whatever is driving me crazy inside.

Mr. Wha… _I can't even be bothered_ tells us it's the end of class. I get out of my seat and lag behind Koja.

"What's wrong?" Koja asks with confusion.

"Oh, nothing…" I reply.

We go to the next class.

* * *

At the end of school, I find Koja. He has his shiny football squeezed in his hands, ready for a kickabout.

"Ready?"

"Ready as I've ever been, Koja."

Koja drops the football down and I get ready to kick. My kicking ability is swung way off guard by the sight of my Mum standing in front of the gate.

"Mum?"


	2. Hot Dogs

I fell on Koja's ball and bounced off it. I jumped up and dusted off my clothes, running to Mum.

"**We need to leave. Now.**" Mum spoke in a sharp voice.

"Wh-what? Why?" My face scrunched up in confusion.

"Get on the ship." she uttered sternly.

I decided not to argue with her and I slowly walked along the tan cobblestone.

Mum was already on the Monquistan skiff. "Hurry up!" she bellowed. Her shout was like being right next to a bloody fight, but with a million elephants roaring about. That was a bad example.

I boarded the plank and made my way onto the hull of the ship. I sat on the edge, my stubby legs dangling about in the air. I waved to Koja, my hand trembling like wobbly jelly.

The ship's floorboards groaned. The ship started to move, and I could only hear the ship creaking. It was an old ship, perhaps about ten years. Good thing the only thing wrong about it is the noise. I couldn't hear the other monkeys, but I could see Koja kicking the ball about with our other friends. I sighed.

I glanced at Mum. She was steering the ship, her eyes tilted in the direction in front of her.

My head turned and I saw El Perro. My eyes widened as I saw red, orange and yellow bursting from it. Flames were licking the entire island clean of life. I could see the entire regiment of the Monquistan Army, escaping on their galleons.

I fell back. Our house was blazed. I could see inside a window. The entire interior was jet black and smoky.

"M-Mum?" I was confused. There was no explanation!

She was silent.

I rose up and tapped her on the shoulder. "Our h-house is on f-fire!"

"Well, I can see that, can't I?" She continued to steer the ship. She docked it at the charred island.

"Mum! Where's R-Rodrigo?" I looked around, and then leaped off the ship, rolling onto the cobblestone. I scraped my knee, but I didn't care. I sprinted and skidded near our house. A brick toppled over and it smashed the ground near me. I twisted my neck so fast it hurt. Mum stumbled up before me.

We watched the house blaze. I was just about to go in when we saw Rodrigo trail out with a mug of tea.

"Sorry...err…did I miss anything?" He sipped his tea contently. He hadn't seemed to notice the burning wreck behind him.

I went back to the ship, whilst Rodrigo and Mum were talking to a Monquistador. I watched them.

* * *

I sat on the ship, watching the sandstone bricks fall from the house. My little troggy teddy was in there… I could really do with it right now.

Meanwhile, Rodrigo sat next to me, bombarding Mum with questions. "Where are we going? What are we doing? Where are we going to live?"

I could understand his confusion, but the constant questioning got a bit annoying. I could tell Mum was getting a bit frustrated. It didn't help that every ship that was from the Monquistan Navy was on the windlane. We were moving at a snail's pace.

"The Marleybonians…" It sounded like every word wrenched her heart. "They did it…"

I picked at the button on my shirt, bored. I suddenly comprehended what Mum said and stood up. "The dog people?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes…" she replied. "Apparently we're in a war with them. They started by attacking our dear little island…"

It looked like she was crying. That's the first time I've ever seen Mum display emotions other than anger.

I picked at my button more. There was silence, apart from the creaking of the ships all around us. The windlane finally started to move us again.

Among the mists of the skyway, I saw a dark ship with the emblem of a bone on its flag. The cannons were shiny, and they looked refined. I squinted my eyes, and I saw a dog. White fur concealed him, with hints of dark grey. The dog had shining ruby red eyes. A broad brown hat was stationed on his head, with golden leaf laced along the seams. A blue feather was living on the hat, appreciating the air. He had a royal blue greatcoat that was also laced along with golden leaf.

The dog held up a shining steel cutlass, the tip glinting in the sunlight. The dark ship crashed into a Monquistador ship. I watched as the dog throttled a soldier and threw him in the skyway.

Mum breathed heavily. "Don't watch, kids!" Rodrigo put his hands over his eyes, but I watched.

The dog clinked his cutlass against a Monquistador. His scratched halberd broke in half, and the dog bashed the monkey's face. He lay still.

I watched in horror as the canine picked the poor ape up, and he lobbed the monkey onto the next ship. He smashed into the floorboards, making a rather big hole.

The dog was working through all of the Monquistador ships, and we were next. Mum swerved the ship around, but the dog was already on the ship.

The dog said nothing, and he walked over to Mum. He kicked her, and she flipped over onto her stomach. The dog pointed the cutlass at her.

"We're not part of the Monquisition! Or the Navy!" Mum screamed. "Please!"

The dog frowned at Mum, and lifted his sword up, ready to strike. My eyes widened, and I shouted. I ran towards the dog, jumping up for a kick. The growler didn't expect it, and I smashed him in the gut. He slid back, his sword flying into the air. With his cow-skin glove, he caught the adeptly crafted sword with one hand.

I stared at the dog. His nose twitched, and his ruby eyes glinted. I looked back briefly. Rodrigo was asleep, but Mum had a distraught look on her face. The dog jumped at me, and I ducked, rolling into a ball. The dog landed on the other side. I leaped up, pointing at him. He waited for me to make a move. I ran at him, shouting random gibberish.

Rodrigo woke up and ran out of the way. Mum was still on the floor. The dog swung at me but I leaped onto his blade, punching his chin. He shook me off his blade, and I fell onto the hard wood. The dog rubbed his chin, but I was already up. I latched onto the bottom of the blade, cutting one of my hands. The dog sneered and he threw me off the blade – but up. I did a flip onto his head, punching his noggin. I kept clobbering him until he threw me off. He was staggering about, trying to get a grip on life again.

The dog was at the edge. I ran to the dog and swept his foot forcefully. Normally this wouldn't have worked, but he fell and stumbled off the ship. His sword fell with him.

I looked around. Mum stared at me and Rodrigo was quivering. His whole body was shaking from side to side.

Suddenly, a Monquistador appeared on our ship. He was tattered and bruised, but he looked important. A striking moustache sat below his nose. He held his pike in one hand. The pike was twice his size. The monkey looked at me and spoke to me.

"That was amazing." he began, intrigued. "Perhaps you should join the army, señor."

I looked to where he came. A board was placed between his ship and our ship.

The words 'army' ricocheted through my mind.


End file.
